Lowerable motor vehicle roof for a cabriolet

ABSTRACT

A motor vehicle roof with a front roof part ( 3 ), a middle roof part ( 4 ) and a rear roof part ( 5 ), which can be moved between a closed position which covers the motor vehicle interior and a lowered position in a rear convertible top compartment ( 10 ) which exposes the motor vehicle interior, the middle roof part ( 4 ) being pivotally supported via a first connecting rod arrangement ( 12, 13 ) on the body and the front roof part ( 3 ) being movably supported by a second connecting rod arrangement ( 14, 15 ) on the middle roof part ( 4 ) and being displaced over the middle roof part ( 4 ) during lowering. For space-saving lowering of the roof parts, it is provided that the rear roof part ( 5 ) is pivotally supported by a third connecting rod arrangement ( 16, 17 ) on the middle roof part ( 4 ), and when the roof ( 1 ) is lowered, is displaced over the middle roof part ( 3  or  4 ) so that the three roof parts ( 3, 4, 5 ) are deposited on top of one another in an identically cambered orientation. Feasibly, when the roof ( 1 ) is closed, the rear edge ( 57 ) of the rear roof part ( 5 ) rests on the closed lid ( 11 ) of the convertible top compartment, forming a seal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a motor vehicle roof with a front roof part, amiddle roof part and a rear roof part, which can be displaced between aclosed position which covers the motor vehicle interior, and a loweredposition in a rear convertible top compartment which exposes the motorvehicle interior, the middle roof part being pivotally supported via aconnecting rod means on the body and the front roof part being movablysupported by means of a connecting rod means on the middle roof part andbeing displaced onto the middle roof part during lowering.

2. Description of the Related Art

German Patent DE 199 34 673 C1 discloses a motor vehicle roof in whichthe middle roof part is supported on the motor vehicle by means of amain four-bar mechanism, the front roof part is supported by means of afour-bar mechanism on the middle roof part, and the rear roof part isattached to the rear main connecting rod of the main four-bar mechanismand swings with it, all roof parts being guided by means of forcedmovement when the motor vehicle roof is being lowered. The roof partsare deposited on top of one another in the trunk of the motor vehiclesuch that the rear roof part is disposed bottom side up, while above itthe front roof part position is disposed over the middle roof part inthe identically cambered top side up position. The lid of the trunk andconvertible top compartment is swung down before the motor vehicle roofis lowered in order to allow the rear roof part to swing into the trunk.With the roof closed, the front edge of the convertible top compartmentcover rests on the rear edge of the rear roof part. Since the rear roofpart is lowered in the opposite direction or with the opposite camber tothe two front roof parts, a stowage space in the trunk which is higherin the vertical direction is needed.

Published German Patent Application DE 199 62 070 A1 discloses acomparable motor vehicle roof in which, likewise, the front roof part iscoupled by means of a four-bar mechanism to the middle roof part of athree-part roof, the middle roof part is pivotally supported by means ofa main four-bar mechanism on the body and the rear roof part is attachedto the connecting rod of the main four-bar mechanism and swings with it.In this roof, the front and the middle roof parts are also locatedidentically cambered in the trunk above the rear roof part which isdeposited with an opposite camber.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to devise a motor vehicleroof of the initially mentioned type which enables a space-savinglowered position of the roof parts in the convertible top compartmentusing simple kinematics.

The object is achieved in the aforementioned motor vehicle roof inaccordance with the invention in that the rear roof part is pivotallysupported by a connecting rod means on the middle roof part, and whenthe roof is lowered, is displaced over the middle roof part so that thethree roof parts are deposited on top of one another in the identicallycambered position. In this stack arrangement, the rear roof part can belocated both over the front roof part and also under the front roofpart, and in both cases, above the middle roof part. By means of theintended support on the middle roof part, compared to a fixed attachmenton the main bearing means, it is possible to achieve a definableswinging of the rear roof part which can be adjusted and matched to theentire lowering process, and the motion of the lid of the convertibletop compartment and/or a hat rack can be considered and included. Bymeans of the three hardtop roof parts, a longer motor vehicle interiorof even a four-seat cabriolet can also be covered and the parts canstill be lowered in a space-saving manner. To lengthen the roof, it canbe provided that, on the forward roof part, a front roof part is againsupported which, when the roof is lowered, can be shifted to over orunder the front roof part. The front roof part is thus more generally aroof part means with at least one roof part.

Preferably, the motor vehicle roof or the bearing kinematics is designedsuch that, when the roof is closed, the rear edge of the rear roof partrests on the closed lid of the convertible top compartment, forming aseal. This allows a simpler construction of the rear lower terminationof the rear roof part, since only one seal is necessary, for example, onthe bottom of the rear edge of the rear roof part which rests on theopposing top surface on the lid of the convertible top compartment.However, the seal can also be attached to the lid of the convertible topcompartment.

In one preferred configuration, the swinging motion of the rear roofpart relative to the middle roof part takes place depending on thepivoting motion of the connecting rod means which supports the middleroof part. Thus, the swinging motion of the rear roof part can begindirectly with the swinging of the middle roof part and it begins,staggered in time, after initial swinging of the middle roof part.

One simple configuration calls for the rear roof part being forciblycoupled by means of kinematics to the connecting rod means whichsupports the middle roof part so that the swinging motion of the middleroof part immediately causes a swinging motion of the rear roof part.Furthermore, the connecting rod means for the front roof part can beforcibly coupled by means of kinematics to the connecting rod meanswhich supports the middle roof part so that the front roof part does notrequire its own drive either.

For the sequence of motions in lowering the roof, it is feasible if ahat rack which is located on the front side on the lid of theconvertible top compartment is movably supported on it so that, when thelid of the convertible top compartment is swung up, it can be moved intoa return position under the lid of the convertible top compartment.Thus, the path necessary for the lowering motion, especially of the rearroof part, can be easily cleared.

In doing so, there can be a controlled sequence of motions, according towhich, when the roof is lowered after lifting the rear edge of the rearroof part over the lid of the convertible top compartment, first therear roof part is swung up at its front edge into its open position, andin doing so, the hat rack is displaced into its return position underthe lid of the convertible top compartment. In this way, in the loweringmotion of the rear roof part into the convertible top compartment, apath of motion in front of the front edge of the lid of the convertibletop compartment and the front edge of the hat rack is made available tothe rear edge of the rear roof part.

According to one alternative configuration, the rear roof part can bemoved relative to the middle roof part by means of its own drive. Then,the rear roof part can be shifted first over the middle roof part beforethe main swinging motion of the middle roof part begins. Due to the rearroof part which is initially shifted forward, it is possible to use thelid of the convertible top compartment which contains an integrated orrigidly attached hat rack and which need not be shortened in thelengthwise direction for swinging up for reasons of space.

Feasibly, the rear roof part and the front roof part can also be coupledfor joint motion and can be moved by means of their own drive. In thisway, the motion of these two roof parts is controlled and executedjointly and can take place independently of the pivoting motion of theconnecting rod means of the middle roof part.

Embodiments of the motor vehicle roof are explained in detail below withreference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a portion of a cabriolet with ahardtop vehicle roof having a front, a middle and a rear roof part, theroof being in a closed position;

FIGS. 2 to 7 each show the three roof parts in a schematic side view ina respective position as the hardtop vehicle roof is lowered;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged a side view of the front roof part when beingswung up over the middle roof part;

FIG. 9 is a partial schematic side view of the connecting rod connectionof the four-bar mechanism between the front roof part and the middleroof part;

FIGS. 10 to 12 are respective schematic side views of the rearconnecting rod of the four-bar mechanism when the front roof part isswung onto the rear roof part;

FIG. 13 is a perspective overhead view of the roof when the front roofpart is being swung up over the middle roof part;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged extract from FIG. 3 showing the lever linkage forthe front connecting rod of the front four-bar mechanism;

FIG. 15 is a schematic perspective overhead view of the lever linkagewith the adjacent roof parts;

FIG. 16 is a side view that is enlarged as compared to FIG. 1 with therear roof part in the closed position;

FIG. 17 is a side view showing the support of the middle and rear roofpart that is enlarged relative to FIG. 5;

FIG. 18 is a partial schematic side view of another embodiment of ahardtop vehicle roof with a front, a middle and a rear roof part in theclosed position; and

FIG. 19 is a side view of an enlarged extract of encircled area of thevehicle roof shown in FIG. 18 in the intermediate open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A motor vehicle roof 1 of a cabriolet 2 is made as an openable hardtopwith a front roof part 3, a middle roof part 4 and a rear roof part 5(see FIG. 1). The cabriolet 2 can have one row of seats or a front 6 anda rear row 7 of seats, as shown in FIG. 1, so that the lengths of theindividual roof parts 3, 4, 5 are matched to the respective length ofthe motor vehicle interior. When the motor vehicle roof 1 is opened andlowered after the front roof part 3 has been decoupled from thewindshield apron 8 or from the A columns 9, the front roof part 3, themiddle roof part 4 and the rear roof part 5 are lowered into a roofstorage space, i.e., convertible top compartment 10, which is locatedbehind the back row 7 of seats in the rear area of the cabriolet 2, andcan be covered by the lid 11 of the convertible top compartment ortrunk.

The three roof parts 3, 4, 5 are pivotally supported via the supportswhich are shown in the figures and which are each provided on eitherside on the roof parts. The middle roof part 4 is pivotally supported bymeans of a main four-bar mechanism which has a main connecting rod 12and a main column 13 on the body such that it its top surface facesupward when stowed in the convertible top compartment 10. The front roofpart 3 is pivotally supported by means of a four-bar mechanism whichcontains a front connecting rod 14 and a rear connecting rod 15 on themiddle roof part 4 and when lowered, its top surface, likewise, facesupward and it is disposed over the middle roof part 4. The rear roofpart 5 or the rear element, which contains, for example, a rear window,is pivotally supported by means of a front lever 16 and a rear lever 17in an arrangement of the four-bar mechanism on the bearing arm 18 whichis attached to the middle roof part 4 and projects to the rear over itsback end.

When the hardtop roof 1 is lowered, the front roof part 3 is swung ontothe middle roof part 4 and the rear roof part 5 is swung onto the frontroof part 3. This compact, uniformly cambered unit then is swung intothe convertible top compartment 10. The lowering motion is accomplishedby pivoting the main four-bar mechanism 12, 13 which also pivots thefront four-bar mechanism 14, 15 and the rear four-bar mechanism 16, 17,for example, via kinematic forced coupling. The lowering motion of thethree roof parts 3, 4, 5 takes place continuously (see FIGS. 2 to 7).When the roof 1 is lowered, the lid 11 of the convertible topcompartment is raised with the hat rack 19 supported on it (see FIGS. 3,11′ and 19′ designate the rest position of the lid of the convertibletop compartment and the hat rack) and is swung up with at its front edge58 into the open position (FIG. 4), while the hat rack 19 which ismovably supported on the lid 11 of the convertible top compartment ispushed to the rear to under the lid 11 of the convertible topcompartment. Further pivoting of the main four-bar mechanism 12, 13lowers the front roof part 3 onto the middle roof part 4 and swings therear roof part 5 onto the front and the middle roof part 3 and 4 (FIGS.5 & 6) until all three roof parts 3, 4, 5 have been lowered completelyinto the convertible top compartment 10 in a stacked arrangement inwhich the roof parts all face in the same direction, whereupon the lid11 of the convertible top compartment is swung back down again and thehat rack 19 extends forward and finally assumes its cover position (FIG.7).

The front connecting rod 14 of the front four-bar mechanism, whichsupports the front roof part 3, is pivotally supported by means of alever linkage 20 on the front end of the bracket 21 (see especially FIG.8) which is attached to the middle roof part 4 and extends forwardbeyond the front edge 22 of the roof shell 23 of the middle roof part 4in an arrangement such that it is covered by the side area 24 of thefront roof part 3 in the closed position. The front drive or couplingrod 25 for swinging the front connecting rod 14 is coupled by means ofthe rear hinge 26 on the main connecting rod 12 and by means of thefront hinge 27 on the lever linkage 20.

The front end of the rear connecting rod 15 is pivotally coupled bymeans of the hinge 28 on the back end 29 of the front roof part 3. Theback end of the rear connecting rod 15 is pivotally supported by meansof a hinge 29 which is located on the middle roof part 4 roughly in themiddle between the front edge 22 and the rear edge 30 of the roof shell23 and is lowered relative to the surface of the roof shell 23 so thatthe rear connecting rod 15, in the closed position of the roof 1, isaccommodated in a recess 31 which is in the form of a lengthwise grooveor channel which extends between the middle section 32 and the sidesection 33 (see FIG. 13) of the middle roof part 4 over its length. Therecess 31 is, for example, a so-called weld groove in which the twoadjacent side edges of the middle section 32 or of the side section 33which are directed downward are joined to one another, for example, bywelding.

The front hinge 28 of the rear connecting rod 15 is attached to anelongated bearing part 34 (FIG. 9) which is accommodated in a recess 35which has been formed, for example, likewise by the weld groove betweenthe middle section 36 and the side section 37 of the front roof part 3(FIG. 13) and is attached thereto. A screen or cover 38 covers therecess 35 with the bearing part 34 held therein flush with the surfaceof the front roof part 3.

The weld groove or the recess 31 on the middle roof part 4 forms a wetarea (i.e., an area exposed to the elements and into which water runningover the roof may enter) which is bordered forward by the seal 39 whichis attached to the front edge 22 of the middle roof part 4. In theclosed position of the roof 1, the seal 39 tightly adjoins the bottom ofthe front roof part 3.

A screen 40 (FIG. 10) covers the rear section of the recess 31 betweenthe hinge 29 on the back end of the rear connecting rod 15 and the rearedge 30 of the roof shell 23. The screen 40 is supported to be able topivot around the rear axis of rotation 41 and is pre-tensioned upwardinto its cover position by a pre-tensioning means, for example, a spring66. In the cover position, screen 40 is arranged flush with the top ofthe roof shell 23 and its downwardly curved front end 42 adjoins aprojection 43 on the back end of the rear connecting rod 15 fromunderneath. If the rear connecting rod 15 is pivoted rearward around thehinge 29, the projection 43 presses the front end 42 of the screen 40down (FIGS. 11 & 12) so that the rear connecting rod 15, which is beingswung to the rear, can drop into the recess 31, and in doing so, pressesthe screen 40 down. When the roof 1 is closed the rear connecting rod 15is lifted out of the recess 31 and its projection 43 guides the screen40 into its cover position.

Due to the comparatively large bearing distance between the rear hinge29 of the rear connecting rod 15 and the rear hinge 44 of the frontconnecting rod 14 on which it is pivotally supported on the bracket 21,as also between the front hinge 28 of the rear connecting rod 15 and thefront hinge 45 of the front connecting rod 14 which forms the couplingto the front roof part 3, a four-bar mechanism with a large support baseis formed which enables stable support of the front roof part 3.

The rear connecting rod 15 is made such that, in the closed position ofthe roof 1, it is arranged flush with the roof surface so that itvisually covers the recess 31 and a cover for the front section of therecess 31 is therefore not necessary.

The screen 40, in an alternative configuration, can be attached securelyon its back end to the recess 31 of the middle roof part 4 and can bemade, for example, of plastic with a certain flexibility so that itbends down flexibly when it is pressed down on its front end 42 and byresting flat on the connecting rod 15. The reset force is made availableby the plastic material.

The lever linkage 20 which is located on the front end of the bracket 21(see especially FIGS. 14 & 15) contains, for example, a right anglelever 46 with a first leg 47 which is pivotally supported at one end onthe front end of the bracket 21 in a hinge 48 which is located above thehinge 44 which supports the front connecting rod 14. The coupling rod 25is coupled to the second leg 49 of the angle lever 46 in a hinge 27which is located set back from the end of the second arm 49. One end ofa short connecting lever 51 is coupled to the end of the second lever 49by means of a hinge 50, and the other end is pivotally connected bymeans of a hinge 52 to the end of the front connecting rod 14 whichprojects over the hinge 44.

The distance between the hinge 27 and the hinge 48 in the directionperpendicular to the coupling rod 25 forms the effective lever arm forapplication of the drive force to the lever linkage 20 and thus to thefront connecting rod 14. By means of this design of the compactly builtlever linkage 20, the effective lever arm is always large enough sothat, at a large pivot angle of the front connecting rod 14, both in theclosed position and also in the open position of the roof 1, thecoupling rod 25 is relatively far away from the dead center positionrelative to the lever linkage 20 and to the hinge 48.

The drive for moving the rear roof part 5 (see especially FIGS. 16 & 17)contains a rear drive rod 53 which is coupled on one end to the hinge 26attached to the main connecting rod 12 and at the other end to the hinge54 which is adjacent to the hinge 55 which pivotally supports the rearlever 17 of the four-bar mechanism supporting the rear roof part 5 onthe bearing arm 18. When the roof 1 is lowered, the main connecting rod12 of the main four-bar mechanism is swung around its hinge 56, withwhich it is coupled to the bearing arm 18. The pivoting motion of thehinge 26 is transferred via the rear drive rod 53 and the hinge 54 tothe rear lever 17. According to the establishment of the distancesbetween the hinges 26, 56 and hinges 55, 54, the behavior of the rearlever 17 in motion can be set depending on the motion of the mainconnecting rod 12.

The front roof part 3 is swung at the same time via the drive rod 25which is likewise coupled to the hinge 26. The drive rod 25 is omittedif the front roof part 3 has its own drive.

Due to the coupled forced control of the movements of the front roofpart 3 and the rear roof part 5, during the lowering motion of themiddle roof part 4, in the embodiment shown, the described rearwarddisplacement of the hat rack 19 to under the lid 11 of the convertibletop compartment is necessary so that the rear edge 57 of the rear roofpart 5 can be lowered during the lowering motion in front of the frontedge 58 of the opened lid 11 of the convertible top compartment (seeFIGS. 4 to 6).

When the roof is closed, the rear edge 57 of the rear part 5, which edgecontains a seal, in one simple sequence of motions, is placed, fromabove, on the already closed lid 11 of the convertible top compartment(motion of FIG. 2 to FIG. 1).

The driving of the main four-bar mechanism around the body-mountedhinges 59, 60 of the main connecting rod 12 and the main column 13 takesplace, for example, by means of a hydraulically actuated piston-cylinderunit 61 which, for example, engages the main column 13.

In one alternative configuration, the coupling rod 25 is not connectedto the hinge 26, but to its own drive means which is controlled via acontrol means for coordinated lowering motion.

Another alternative configuration (see FIGS. 18 & 19) calls for thefront coupling rod 25 and the rear drive rod 53 to be connected to oneanother in the hinges 26, 26′; however, these hinges 26, 26′ are notattached to the main connecting rod 12, but to a pivot lever 62 which issupported by means of a hinge 64 on the middle roof part 4. A drivemeans 65 engages pivot lever 62 so that the movements of the front roofpart 3 and the rear roof part 5 proceed coupled, but can be adjusted bycontrolling the drive means independently of the motion of the mainfour-bar mechanism or of the middle roof part 4. Thus, when the roof islowered, first the front roof part 3 can be swung onto the middle roofpart 4 and the rear roof part 5 onto the middle roof part 4 and onto thefront roof part 3 located over it before the middle roof part 4 with thecompactly arranged unit of the three roof parts is lowered to the rearinto the convertible top compartment 10. Here, the hat rack 19 can beformed as a fixed unit with the lid 111 of the convertible topcompartment since the lid 11 of the convertible top compartment is onlyopened when the rear roof part 5 has been swung over the middle roofpart 4, and thus, the rear edge 57 of the rear roof part 5 can be easilymoved past in front of the forward edge 63 of the hat rack 19.

In another embodiment of the motor vehicle roof (not shown), in thefour-bar mechanism support of the front roof part 3, the rear connectingrod 15 is supported on the projecting section of the bracket 21 in frontof the roof surface 23 of the middle roof part 4, so that the rearconnecting rod 15 which is formed especially curved or at a right angle(according to the arrangement as is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,362)is swung in front of and over the roof surface 23 of the middle roofpart 4 and the described recess 31 is not necessary. The drive means canbe formed according to the aforementioned statements.

In general, instead of the supports shown with four-bar mechanisms, alsomultiple hinge means with more than four hinges can also be used.

What is claimed is:
 1. Motor vehicle roof for a vehicle body which isdisplaceable between a closed position which covers a motor vehicleinterior and a lowered position in a rear convertible top compartmentand in which the motor vehicle interior is exposed, comprising: a frontroof part, a middle roof part and a rear roof part, a first connectingrod means on the body which pivotally supports the middle roof part, asecond connecting rod means on the middle roof part which movablysupports the front roof part and by which the front roof part isdisplaceable over the middle roof part during movement toward saidlowered position, and a third connecting rod means on the middle roofpart which pivotally supports the rear roof part and by which the rearroof part is displaceable over the middle roof part; wherein theconnecting rod means, collectively, are adapted to deposit the roofparts on top of one another in an identically cambered orientation insaid lowered position.
 2. Motor vehicle roof as claimed in claim 1,wherein, in the closed position, a rear edge of the rear roof part isadapted to rest on a closed lid of the convertible top compartment in amanner forming a seal therebetween.
 3. Motor vehicle roof as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the third connecting rod means is adapted to produce aswinging motion of the rear roof part relative to the middle roof partin dependence upon a swinging motion of the first connecting rod meanswhich supports the middle roof part.
 4. Motor vehicle roof as claimed inclaim 3, wherein the rear roof part is forcibly coupled by means ofkinematics to the first connecting rod means which supports the middleroof part.
 5. Motor vehicle roof as claimed in claim 1, wherein thesecond connecting rod means for the front roof part is forcibly coupledby means of kinematics to the first connecting rod means which supportsthe middle roof part.
 6. Motor vehicle roof as claimed in claim 1,further comprising a hat rack movably supported at a front side thereofon the lid of the convertible top compartment so that, when the lid ofthe convertible top compartment is swung up, the rack is movable into areturn position under the lid of the convertible top compartment. 7.Motor vehicle roof as claimed in claim 6, wherein the connecting rodmeans, collectively, are adapted to produce, when the roof is beinglowered, a controlled sequence in which, after lifting the rear edge ofthe rear roof part above the lid of the convertible top compartment,first, the rear roof part is swung up at its front edge into an openposition, and in doing so, the hat rack is displaced into a returnposition under the lid of the convertible top compartment in order toenable, during lowering of the rear roof part into the convertible topcompartment, a path of motion for the rear edge of the rear roof part infront of the front edge of the lid of the convertible top compartmentand the front edge of the hat rack.
 8. Motor vehicle roof as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the rear roof part is movable relative to the middleroof part by means of a drive of its own.
 9. Motor vehicle roof asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the rear roof part and the front roof partare coupled for joint motion and are movable by a drive of their own.10. Motor vehicle roof as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rear connectingrod of the second connecting rod means is pivotably supported on themiddle roof part at a pivot axis which is set back from a front edge ofthe middle roof part so as to swing upward out of an outer surface ofthe middle roof part when the roof is being lowered.
 11. Motor vehicleroof as claimed in claim 10, wherein a front connecting rod of thesecond connecting rod means is pivotally supported by a hinge which islocated on a bracket which projects forward from the middle roof part inforward of the outer surface of the middle roof part.
 12. Motor vehicleroof as claimed in claim 10, wherein the rear connecting rod, in theclosed position of the roof, is flush with or below the outer surface ofthe middle roof part.
 13. Motor vehicle roof as claimed in claim 10,wherein the rear connecting rod, in the closed position, is accommodatedin an upwardly open recess in the middle roof part.
 14. Motor vehicleroof as claimed in claim 13, wherein the rear connecting rod, in aswung-back open position, is lowered at least partially into a rearsection of the recess.
 15. Motor vehicle roof as claimed in claim 13,wherein the recess is located between a middle part and a side part ofthe middle roof part.
 16. Motor vehicle roof as claimed in claim 14,wherein a screen is provided which covers the rear section of therecess, which extends rearward from the rear connecting rod, in theclosed position of the roof.
 17. Motor vehicle roof as claimed in claim16, wherein the rear connecting rod is adapted to press the screen downinto the recess during upward pivoting thereof.
 18. Motor vehicle roofas claimed in claim 17, wherein the screen is attached on at a rear endthereof to the middle roof part and wherein the rear connecting rod hasa projection on a rear end thereof that is adapted to press down on afront end of the screen during upward pivoting of the rear connectingrod.
 19. Motor vehicle roof as claimed in claim 10, wherein the rearconnecting rod is coupled to a rear end of the front roof part. 20.Motor vehicle roof as claimed in claim 14, wherein the front connectingrod of the second connecting rod means, in a swung-back open positionthereof is lowered into a front section of the recess.
 21. Motor vehicleroof as claimed in claim 1, wherein a front connecting rod of the secondconnecting rod means is pivotally supported by a pivot bearing which islocated on a bracket which projects forward from the middle roof part,and wherein the front connecting rod is driven via a pivotable leverlinkage arrangement.
 22. Motor vehicle roof as claimed in claim 21,wherein the lever linkage arrangement is forcibly coupled to a mainpivot drive for lowering the roof.
 23. Motor vehicle roof as claimed inclaim 21, wherein the front connecting rod is driven via a drive rod andan interposed lever linkage arrangement which has a coupling lever whichis pivotable on the middle roof part around a fixed pivot axis. 24.Motor vehicle roof as claimed in claim 21, wherein the front connectingrod is driven via a drive rod and an interposed lever drive which has acoupling lever which is pivotable on the middle roof part around a fixedpivot axis and to which a drive rod is coupled, the fixed pivot axis ofthe coupling lever being arranged such that, at least in one of the twoend positions of swinging motion of the front connecting rod, thedistance of the fixed pivot axis from a coupling point of the drive rodto the coupling lever, which distance is lateral relative to the driverod, is greater than a lateral distance of a pivot bearing of the frontconnecting rod from the coupling point of the drive rod to the couplinglever.